Four Big Ideas From Davos

In between all the one-on-one schmoozing at the World Economic Forum, some compelling ideas do get kicked around. Here’s what’s on the radar of leaders and luminaries.

It’s All Tech Now
Convergence is finally sinking in. Session after session concluded that digital tools in the hands of Everyman changes everything. “Every company needs to become a tech company,” was a common view.

Respect the Little Guy
Empowerment of the individual was another big theme: the consumer is becoming the producer. And everyone’s attention was on Egypt. Said serial entrepreneur Bill Gross of Idealab: “People here ask, ‘Does the social-media revolution make real revolutions?’ The answer seems to be yes.”

Don’t Believe What You Read
Is journalism getting more erratic? That’s what Google CEO Eric Schmidt thinks. He blames an essentially unstable “blogger-based media” for distorting the news. Others wondered why there weren’t more veteran American journalists in attendance.

Don’t Celebrate Yet
Amid so much wealth, many seemed worried about the economy. Nike executive Hans van Alebeek noted a prevailing queasiness. “Is the glass half full or half empty? Its seems like everybody could go either way.”